Access door for cooling device with product space

Abstract

An access door for use in a cooling device for keeping products chilled and displaying them, in particular food and/or beverages, wherein the access door is substantially transparent and includes a first wall and a second wall parallel to each other, made of plastic, and joined at the edges to form a cavity between the walls.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONField of the Invention[0001]The present invention relates to a cooling device for keeping products chilled and displaying them, in particular food and / or beverages, comprising a product space conditioned by cooling means bounded on an entry side by an adjustable access door. The invention also relates to an access door of the type as used in a cooling device according to the present invention.Description of the Related Art[0002]Cooling devices are mainly used in supermarkets, department stores and other shops such as corner shops, petrol stations, self-service restaurants etc., to keep products inside chilled. For example, in order to keep products with a limited shelf life such as food and beverages fresh for longer, and to be able to offer certain products for immediate consumption chilled. This concerns mostly vertical cooling walls comprising a cupboard within which cooling means are provided in order to chill and keep chilled to a certain temperature ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]In a further preferred embodiment according to the present invention the cooling device is characterized in that the access door is provided with prints. This can for example be a promotional text or an image or an indication of price or other types of information. However in a particular embodiment according to the present invention the cooling device is characterized in that the prints comprise a camouflaging decorative print which is provided at least between the edge parts at a side of the first wall facing the cavity. Consequently a potentially less attractive connection between the edge parts as a result of the adhesive provided between them is removed from view, so that a view of the access door from the visible side thus remains particularly appealing regardless. Moreover the prints cannot be affected from the outside due to use on the side facing the cavity so that they remain attractive for a long period of time. When using a light source in the cavity the camouflaging decorative prints can also be used to remove the light source and fittings used from view behind the prints, so that only the light emitted from the light source remains visible.

[0014]In a preferred embodiment an access door of the type as used in the cooling device according to the present invention is provided with suspension means on at least two corner points of the walls. Consequently an at least almost completely prefab access door can be produced to be attached quickly and efficiently to the cooling device on-site.

Problems solved by technology

This however allows chilled air from the product space to circulate freely with warmer air from the surroundings, as a result of which effective and adequate cooling with the cooling means requires relatively large amounts of energy.

In addition to higher energy costs for the shop concerned, this also forms a substantial burden on the environment.

However, in view of the usual dimensions of the access door used in a cooling device the glass plate has to be relatively thick for a sufficiently reliable strength, which results in a heavy impractical whole.

However, for a sufficiently stiff access door in which unwanted curvatures and other deformations through exposure to fluctuations in temperature and moisture or possibly its weight are prevented, it is apparent that a thickness of the plastic plate used nevertheless leads to a substantial total weight of the whole.

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